1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fluid flow control devices, and in particular to clamp-on valve structures for use in controlling fluid delivery from a container of pressurized fluid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one improved form of can tapping device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,291 of George E. Franck, owned by the assignee hereof, three lugs are provided on a mounting bracket for engaging at substantially 90.degree. spaced positions, an upstanding lip portion of a pressurized fluid can. A valve is threadedly mounted to an internally threaded mounting portion of the mounting bracket to engage a wall portion of the can centrally of the upstanding lip and permit tapping of the can portion to provide valve controlled delivery of fluid from the can. The present invention is concerned with a further improvement in such a can tapping device.
Other prior art patents of pertinency to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,391 of George T. Wrenn, Jr., which similarly provides three inturned fingers, or lugs, for engaging the can lip at three substantially 90.degree. spaced positions. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,126 of Gabriel F. Corlet, spring clips are provided for elastically retaining the valve to the subjacent container.
In Russell I. Huffman U.S. Pat. No. 2,981,439, a coupling for a gas appliance is shown having a latch member pivotally mounted to a frame member and utilizing a detent structure for releasably maintaining the latch member in the clamping position with the detent being separable from the cooperating recess by a simple swinging of the latch member on the pivot through the fingertip manipulating portion thereof. Huffman requires an annular flange for centering the frame member on the upper portion of the can lip in addition to spaced, fixed lugs flange means cooperating with a lug flange means on the latch member.
Anthony Willats, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,317, shows a can handling device with a hook portion on the handle means. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,424 of Virgil Philipps, a dispensing valve for use with a pressurized can of fluid includes a movable disclike member rotatable about the axis of an upstanding annular flange portion of a cooperating disclike member. Relative movement between the two disclike members is permitted at all times between clamping and released positions defined by the permitted movement of a pin in a sector of the fixed disclike member.
Additional prior art United States Letters Patent showing other forms of pivotal connecting elements are those of: J. C. Schellin 1,761,157 W. S. Reed 1,920,524 O. E. Clark 2,069,216 R. W. Saxton 2,565,269 J. T. Krapp 2,770,474 R. T. Cornelius 3,155,402